Grenada: Police have seized a large number of illegal weapons so far this year

Granada police revealed on Tuesday that they had confiscated “more than 25 illegal firearms” in the first five months of this year.

Superintendent Esau Pierre, in charge of crimes and operations, disclosed the information at a press conference saying: “To date, we have more than five million EC dollars worth of drug seizures, a largest gun ban and seizures and the total this year is so far is over 25.”

Pierre did not give a comparable figure for gun seizures, but last year police seized 30 guns in total.

Additionally, Pierre mentioned that several people took advantage of the gun amnesty announced by Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dickon Mitchell in March, demonstrating a proactive approach to solving the problem.

Expressing their commitment to combating the rise in gun violence, Pierre stressed that the police force is fully dedicated to using all available resources.

As of May, Grenada recorded nine homicides, eight of which were classified as murder. Three of these homicides are directly linked to gun violence, leading to the arrest and charging of three people.

Highlighting the broader context, statistics revealed that between 2019 and 2023, authorities confiscated 68 illegal firearms.

Additionally, over the past two years (2022 and 2023), 78 people have been arrested and charged with firearms or gun-related offenses.